


Ashes

by Marvinetta



Category: Terra Nova
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-02
Updated: 2011-12-02
Packaged: 2017-10-26 18:41:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/286629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marvinetta/pseuds/Marvinetta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written as speculation about a spoiler posted in a recent article about the season finale.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ashes

**Author's Note:**

> This is incredibly depressing, and I really hope nothing like this happens on the show.

Nathaniel Taylor had seen ash falling like snow before. He knew it was a tactic used by invading armies since the beginning of civilization. Burn their crop fields, and they'll have nothing left to come back to; nothing left to fight for. Starve them into submission. Kill their spirit with every piece of ash that falls, each speck reminding them of what they've lost.

Unlike the rest of the group, the ash didn't bother him. Being thrown out of his own colony didn't really bother him right now. The only thing he was focused on was his body giving out. He'd dug the grave himself, ordering anyone who tried to help to go away. He would finish this small task himself. He owed it to her. Needed to feel the pain physically to remind himself how he'd failed another woman he'd loved. His arms shook more with each pile of dirt he added, threatening to give out on him before he'd finished.

“You're going to kill yourself if you keep this up.” Jim Shannon walked up cautiously. He had a shovel in one hand.

“I need to finish this. I don't need any help.” Tossing another pile of dirt into the grave, Taylor noticed that the blanket he'd wrapped her in, for lack of a coffin, was nearly covered. She deserved better. It should be him in a ratty field blanket in the middle of the jungle.

“It's awfully selfish of you to do this alone. You're not the only one mourning her.” Shannon took a step forward and held out a canteen. “At least take a break so you don't have a heart attack.”

“I need to do this alone, Shannon.” Taylor accepted the canteen and sank to his knees, exhaustion coiling around him like a boa constrictor. There was still a lot of dirt to put back in the hole. “Would you let anyone else bury Elisabeth?”

“I'd have let Wash help.” Shannon's tone was hollow. “You're not the only that loved her.”

Taylor felt his throat tighten. For the first time since he'd started digging he let himself look around the small camp they'd set up. Everyone was trying to adjust to life outside the gate. Coping with being separated from friends and family. Mourning the dead.

“I want to help, too.” Reynolds appeared behind Shannon, a shovel gripped so tightly in his hands his knuckles were white. His eyes were red, and there were tracks in the dirt on his face from where he'd allowed himself to cry. Taylor didn't even know if he still could.

Not trusting his voice, Taylor dropped his shovel. Nodding to the other men, he stood up and looked into the half filled grave. Tossing one last hand full in, Taylor brushed off his hands and walked to the edge of the camp. He needed to focus on getting their small group back into the gate. Take back their home.

Nathaniel Taylor didn't know if there was an afterlife. In fact, he tried not to think about it too much. How did it work when you died and were reunited with both women you'd loved? Would he even be reunited with them? If there was a heaven, there was a good chance he wouldn't be getting in. But he knew for damn sure that if he didn't take back Terra Nova - take back their home - Alicia Washington would track him to whatever hell he ended up in, and kick the shit out of him for the first half of eternity.


End file.
